Perimenopause and Menopause

Menopause is a natural part of aging. Every woman will go through menopause. (The average age for onset is 51.5, but you can easily start symptoms ten years on either side of that number.) The years leading up to this point are called perimenopause, or “around menopause”. Changes begin when the ovaries start making less estrogen. This is generally a gradual change over several years, but if you have your ovaries surgically removed, this may trigger severe symptoms. That’s why many women who have their ovaries removed choose to take hormones. However, for women who have a hysterectomy but keep their ovaries, their periods end but they do not immediately experience menopause. They go through menopause at the normal age. Changing periods is just one of the symptoms of menopause. If you’re experiencing one or more of the symptoms listed here, please make an appointment and we’ll talk about what we can do to help make your symptoms more bearable.

Hot Flashes

This is the most common symptom of menopause. About 75% of all women experience them. In a hot flash, a sudden feeling of heat rushes to the upper body and face. The skin may redden like a blush. You also make break out in a sweat. It may only last a few seconds or minutes and can happen any time, day or night. The good news is, even though a hot flash can be a nuisance and sometimes embarrassing, it’s really not harmful.

Sleep Problems and Night Sweats

A lack of sleep may be one of the biggest problems you face as you approach menopause. Too little sleep can affect your mood, health and ability to cope with daily activities. One of the reasons you can’t sleep is if you’re woken up by night sweats (basically, hot flashes at night). Another is if you don’t get enough REM sleep (that’s the stage of sleep where you dream). If you’re cut short on REM sleep, you can wake up without feeling rested. Also, you may have trouble falling asleep in the first place.

Irregular Bleeding

The most obvious ones are changes in your period. You may skip one or more periods. The flow may be lighter or heavier. You may even bleed after sex or between periods. Eventually, the ovaries will fail to make enough estrogen to thicken the lining of the uterus and your menstrual period will stop.

Vaginal Dryness

This loss of estrogen causes changes in the vagina. Its lining can become thin and dry. These changes can cause pain during sexual intercourse. They can also make the vagina more prone to infection, which can cause burning and itching.

Mood Swings

Menopause doesn’t cause sudden mood swings or depression. But the change in hormone levels may make you feel nervous, irritable or very tired. This can be made worse by lack of sleep, another symptom of menopause. If you are under other stresses, such as work stress, watching your kids leave the nest or taking care of your aging parents, this can only further lower your frustration tolerance. If you need other strategies or help coping with this change, feel free to make an appointment to discuss your options.

Learn more about our menopause services; contact us today.

We wanted to take a moment to say how thankful we are for everything you have done for us. On January 20th you helped welcomed our first baby girl into the world. Sweet, little Annabelle was supposed to be a Valentine’s baby and ended up arriving a month early. We actually got to take her home on my birthday! She is happy, healthy and definitely keeping us busy.

You have all been so wonderful and helpful during my numerous pregnancy visits and we truly appreciate how kind and welcoming everyone is.

Please help yourselves to a treat on us and thank you thank you THANK YOU!!

Dr. English is a great fertility doctor! He has a lot of knowledge & cheerfulness mixed with the perfect amount of awkward nerdiness that puts me at ease during my appts. I am a scientist to awkward nerdiness is what I do best. I typically do not prefer male OBGYNs, but the male staff here is awesome!

I love Dr. Stecher. I followed her to this practice. She was kind, efficient and knowledgeable. I would recommend her to anyone in need of an OBGYN. She did an incredible job on my surgery!

Dr. Weinrich is a fabulous Doctor. I had a number of procedures done by him that required hospital stays. He spent a great deal of time with me making sure that I understood everything clearly. He is personable, and competent. I would recommend him to any of my friends without hesitation. Only good things to say about him.

I love OBGYN West. Dr. Toft is caring and an excellent listener. I have been coming here for years. All the nurses, techs, PAs- everyone is always so nice and upbeat. Thank god when I switched insurance OBGYN West was still in my network!

I feel like I really matter when I visit Dr. Teigen. He understands what my needs are and how to best go about treatments. I don’t ever feel pressured. I feel optimistic about my future fertility issues, general health and well-being because of him. I am very thankful for the knowledge and professionalism that he shows.

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Dr. Heegaard is one of the most thorough and caring doctors around. He spends as much time as needed with you and makes you feel at ease. I just can’t say enough good things about him. You cannot go wrong seeing him.

Wonderful OB; he delivered my second baby. He is wonderful doctor who listens and is extremely knowledgeable. He makes an effort to deliver his own patients which I appreciate. He is confident and reassuring. I would highly recommend him.

Dr. English is very focused on his patients. He is very knowledgeable, kind & attentive. Exactly what a worried pregnant woman needs! I always feel important when I come to an appointment with him. I transferred from a different clinic to keep Doctor English as my provider.

*This website is presented for information only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.For a more personal and complete perspective of your present condition, we invite you to please make an appointment.